Ratchet's Addiction
by Turquoise Lombax
Summary: Ratchet has to find a way to stop his unnecessary spending on weapons.
1. A New Gadget

Ratchet goes to a local gadget place to modify a few of his weapons he just received. He walks inside Big Al's place hoping for him to hook him up with something great.

"Hey Big Al." Ratchet greeted.

Big Al was messing with a few weapons on the shelf before turning around. "Why hello Ratchet. What can I help you with today?"

"I came here to modify my new weapon." Ratchet answered placing the new weapon on the work bench.

"Ah Buzz Blades. They really pack a punch... Give me a few moments and I will be done." Big Al said as he began working on his weapon.

While Big Al was working on his weapon, Ratchet was staring at the new weapons he had just placed on the shelf noticing every speck of detail about them. Reading about what makes this weapon different than the one besides it. He had an urge to buy them all.

"Hey how much are those weapons?" Ratchet points.

"Those just came out last week. They cost about 40,000 bolts."

"40,000 bolts eh?" Ratchet was doubting rather or not if he should buy the weapon or not. He just bought a new weapon last week and he had to keep up on his spending.

"If you already have a Big Al's card there is a discount." Al replied trying to lure Ratchet into buying the weapon that he could crave.

At this moment Ratchet could not ignored his lombax urges. A discount for the new Pyrocitor could be a deal that he won't get for a while.

"I'll buy it! I want the Pyrocitor." Ratchet exclaimed slamming a few bolts on the workbench.

Al chucked and shakes his head. He turns around to take the blazing red Pyrocitor on his work bench. "That will be 38,000."

Ratchet's ears lowered a little bit. He was disappointed that it was not a huge discount. He digs in his wallet for a credit card and swipes it.

"Thank you for your purchase sir." Big Al smiled handing back Ratchet's Buzz Blades and his Pyrocitor.

Ratchet holds his Buzz blades under his socket as he holds the Pyrocitor with his bare hands. He rubs the surface of the Pyrocitor amazed of how great it looked up close.

"Um Ratchet you are holding up the line." Big Al mentioned.

Ratchet turned around and saw the angry consumers glaring at him. "Right sorry." He walks out of the line and heads back to his ship.

Ratchet places his Buzz Blades in the back seat and places his Pyrocitor in the front seat. He stares at the Pyrocitor and grins before flying back home.


	2. Uh Ratchet

Ratchet arrived at his home. He reaches for his new weapon and hops out of the ship forgetting about the Buzz Blades in the back. He fidgets for his keys and then opens the door.

"Hey Clank!" Ratchet greeted closing the door with his foot heading upstairs.

Clank stopped from reading Ratchet's comic book and followed Ratchet upstairs. He spots the lombax sitting on his bed rubbing his Pyrocitor. Clank was not familiar with this weapon. The robot's database could not pick it up so he decided to ask him a few questions.

"What is that you have there Ratchet?" He asked in concern raises his index finger.

"Oh this? This is a Pyrocitor. It's a powerful flamethrow." Ratchet introduced letting Clank have a better view of the weapon.

Clank examines the weapon that he could barely hold in his hand. Clank noticed that this weapon was brand spanking new and not like the Proton Drum that he had pre-owned.

"Ratchet how much did this cost you?" Clank asked handing the weapon back to Ratchet.

Ratchet froze, he totally forgot that he told Clank that he will be more careful with his spending. "Uh 26,000."

"Ratchet!" Clank growled narrowing his eyes and crossing his arms.

Ratchet knew that Clank could detect a lie in his voice. "Fine it was 38,000."

"Ratchet you cannot throw your bolts at every new weapon that you see. We have bills to pay and Qwark is cutting out our pay." Clank mentioned.

"I know, I know." Ratchet sighed. "I was fixing up my Buzz Blades and I saw the new weapons at Big Al's place and decided to buy one but it won't happen again Pal."

"Okay..." Clank had no other response than that hoping that he could trust his friend. " Where are your Buzz Blades anyway?"

"I left them in the ship." Ratchet answered leaping from his bed. "Hey Clank I am going to test this new weapon out. Wanna come with me?"

Clank shrugged his shoulders. He had nothing else better to do at the moment. "Sure. Be careful with that weapon."

"I am a Lombax. I am a pro at weapons!" Ratchet assured grabbing his weapon off his bed.

Ratchet and Clank goes to their ship and drives off to a weapon range.


	3. Weapon Range

Ratchet and Clank arrives to the Weapon Range there were tons of people there with their weapons practicing. Ratchet and Clank arrives to the front desk to sign in.

"Hello my name is Ratchet and I would like to sign in to practice with my new weapon the Pyrocitor." Ratchet said bragging about his new weapon.

"The Pyrocitor eh?" The Fongoid said. "I heard those pack a punch. You be careful with that okay." He hands Ratchet his ticket to get in.

Ratchet nods. "I will thanks."

Ratchet and Clank heads inside the range. Ratchet pulls out his Pyrocitor and aims at the target.

All the people around him heard the scorching hot Pyrocitor burning through the target and the board behind it.

"What the- how is that weapon allowed inside the weapon place with a lombax?"The Agorian questioned pointing at his weapon.

"Because it is." Ratchet said simply moving onto the next target.

"Hey wait a minute buddy this is my target." A Agorian shoved Ratchet.

"Hey!" He shouts glaring at him.

The Orange Agorian laughed. "Hey look a Lombax. Remember when they said one of these things won our competition."

Another Agorian laughed besides him. "How is that possible that rumors of those even spread around it's ridiculous."

Ratchet anger begin to show in his eyes. The Agorians taunting his deceased father was pissing him off.

"Ratchet what is going on?" Clank asked in concerned feeling his friends fur spike up. He was on Ratchet's back and couldn't see a thing.

The Agorians paused from laughing. An unfamiliar voice stopped their laughter. The red Agorian yanks Clank off of Ratchet's back.

"Ow." Clank whined as the Agorians began to pull on him.

"Put him down!" Ratchet declared. "Don't make me used this Pyrocitor."

The Orange Agorian observes the Pyrocitor. Even though it was obviously new he still decided to tease him. "It's rusted just like your backpack over there."

Ratchet had no time to argue with the Ego-minded Agorians, soon his friend will be in pieces if he didn't act fast. "Alright you two asked for it."

Ratchet uses his Pyrocitor for the first time on someone. Both of the Agorians began to holler begging for their mothers. They exit out the building flabbergasted.

Ratchet runs over and kneels down over Clank. "Pal are you okay?"

"I am alright." Clank answers.

Ratchet picks up Clank and dust him off before pulling the robot in for a hug.

"That weapon sure does pack a punch! For once I am ready to go to work tomorrow."

"Only use the weapon as needed. Do not use it too much just because it is new." Clank suggests.

"Gotcha pal. I am going to practice a bit more and find some other features with this weapon."

"Oh alright Ratchet." Clank leaps out of Ratchet's grasp and sits on the chair and watches Ratchet enjoy his time.

As time passed by Clank was hearing Ratchet announce every new thing he found out about the Pyrocitor before he stopped playing with it.

"Ready to go pal?" Ratchet asked.

"Yes I am"

"C'mon let's head to our ship."

Ratchet and Clank headed to their ship before heading to Tawlyn's house


	4. And Then There Were Two

Ratchet rang the doorbell to Tawlyn's residence waiting on her to open the door. His heart was pounding ready to greet his partner in a loving matter. Tawlyn opens the door and finds quite a surprise.

"Ratchet, Clank! It's so good to see you two." Tawlyn greeted kissing Ratchet on the cheek and patting Clank on the head. "Come right on in."

"Where is Cronk and Zephyr?" Clank asked closing the front door.

"They are in the backyard playing soccer." Tawlyn answered pointing to the backyard.

Ratchet opens the door to the backyard. "Hey Cron-"

Cronk's head was kicked off by the soccer ball.

"You darn fool! Look what you did to my head!" Cronk hollered trying to control his body.

"Now don't go and blame everything on me! I will reattached your head." Zephyr reassured heading toward Cronk.

"I can help." Ratchet told approaching the two in their need of help.

"Ratchet it's good to see you." Zephyr smiled.

"Well I can't see him because you knocked off my head." Cronk complained.

"Oh shutup." Zephyr replied kicking Cronk's body down.

Ratchet chucked as he helped reapply Cronk's head back on.

"Thank you Ratchet." Cronk said dusting himself off.

"It's no problem." Ratchet replies.

"Hey guys come in here!" Tawlyn called.

Ratchet, Cronk and Zephyr came inside to see what Tawlyn want.

Tawlyn points to the tv indicating that they should look at the tv. The news was on and it was showing Big Al's ship having deals on the weapons.

"Oh yeah I just brought a weapon over there- wait is that a-" Ratchet gasped getting closer to the screen trying to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him. Before he could realize what it was Clank turned off the tv.

"No Ratchet you already spent tons of money on a weapon that is unnecessary. You were suppose to be modifying your other weapon not buying a new one." Clank mentioned.

Tawlyn turned to Ratchet and glared at him. Ratchet smiled at Tawlyn hoping for her not to be too mad.

Tawlyn crossed her arms and darted her eyes at him. "How much was the weapon?"

"But-" Ratchet raised his index finger trying to explain himself but Tawlyn kept interrupting him.

"How much!" Tawlyn growled in a impatient voice.

Ratchet sighed before giving her the answer. "38,000."

"Ratchet are you serious! You are suppose to be saving your money on bills and our vacation that we are going to soon." Tawlyn hissed.

"I'm sorry babe. You know I have a problem with spending." Ratchet's ears wired down in shame.

Tawlyn saw his ears wired down and felt bad for yelling.

"Hmm maybe Clank can help you control your spending." Cronk suggested. " You should give him your credit cards."

"Hmm I can do that." Ratchet said reaching into his pocket and giving him his credit cards.

"Thank you Ratchet." Clank smiled taking the credit cards from him although he is unaware that Ratchet has two more credit cards.

"Tawlyn I'm sorry I really am and to make it up to you I am going to take you out to dinner tonight." Ratchet smiled.

Tawlyn couldn't help but to smile. "Apology accepted."

The touching moment was interrupted when Qwark rang up the phone.

"Hello..." Ratchet greeted.

"Ratchet, Clank I need you guys ASAA- wait no ASSA - Just come here immediately!" Qwark hangs up the phone.

"Welp duty calls I have to go to work." Ratchet begins to walk out the door.

"Bye." Cronk and Zephyr waved before heading back outside.

"Bye. Try not to kick each other heads off." Ratchet waved back.

"Alright Rookie." Zephyr laughed.

Ratchet and Clank walks out the door with Tawlyn.

"Wait where is my heroic lombax going without his kiss." Tawlyn giggled as she kissed him.

"Bye babe." Ratchet gives her another kiss. "We will be back soon."

"Just make sure you are back in enough time so you can take me out to dinner." Tawlyn said walking back inside her house.

Ratchet watched as his girlfriend walked inside. "What a woman!" He said in a blissful voice.

"Uh Ratchet?" Clank said tugging on him.

"Oh right sorry let's see what Qwark wants."

Ratchet and Clank hops in their ship to the Planetary Defense Center.


	5. Not Cool

Ratchet and Clank arrived to the Planetary Defense Center rushing towards Qwark's office. There were screams coming from his office. Ratchet kicks in the door with his new weapon in his hand.

"Ratchet there is a tiny bug over there." Qwark pointed.

Ratchet threw his hands up in annoyance. "Qwark you got to be kidding me!"

Ratchet took off his shoe and begin to steady walk toward the wall hitting the bug. "Are you happy now?"

Qwark nodded crawling up from under his desk.

"Please tell me this wasn't the only reason you called us in for." Ratchet sighed.

"Of course not." Qwark replied reaching under his desk to grab a laundry basket. "Can you fold my underwear?"

Ratchet had a disbelief expression on his face. "No."

"Okay then anyway I called you guys in because there has been suspicious activity going on with the company, Blarg ShackleBerry and we want you two to check it out. ." Qwark told.

Ratchet sighed." C'mon Clank I wonder what they did this time."

"Maybe they are planning on building another Proton bomb." Clank said as he followed Ratchet out of Qwark's office.

"Well whatever they are building we need to shut it down. Orvus knows what will happen if it gets in the wrong hands."

"Indeed! It will be very tragic."

Ratchet and Clank head out the door. Ratchet was interrupted when he had overheard a Rilgarian trying to sell a weapon.

"Ratchet I know what you are thinking-" Clank raised his finger up.

"Relax Clank I'm pretty sure this weapon wont cost much."

"But I am suppose to keep up with your spending."

Ratchet ingored Clank and walked right over to the Rilgarian and greeted him.

"Hello and welcome to my store dude! We are selling all of our weapons for a cheap price since we are closing this store up and opening it somewhere else.. and since you guys are out here fighting the galaxy it will be even cheaper for you." The Rilgarian handed them a coupon.

"Thank you so much." Ratchet smiled shaking the rilgarian hand. "Dont mind me and Clank cleaning off your shelves."

Ratchet rushes inside the store and starts searching for the lastest weapons but he couldnt find any that were recent.

"Geez Clank that sucks it seems like everyone came here wiped all the latest weapons."

"Ratchet why are we in here again? You just brought new weapons."

"I am going to need new weapons if I am going to take out those Blarg."

"Ratchet I'm pretty sure you can take out those Blarg with your fist if you really wanted to."

"But what will be the fun in that?" Ratchet chuckled nervously while shrugging his shoulders.

Clank green eyes narrowed while he put his hands on his waist.

"Ooo look pal, a fusion greenade."

"You already have one of those, Ratchet."

"Yeah pal but its rusted." Ratchet replied searching for other weapons he could buy.

Clank shook his head a few times. "Ratchet what in Orvus name are you saying? Are you even listening to yourself. You can just get it repair-"

Clank stopped talking when he noticed that Ratchet already had three weapons in his hand.

"Oh why do I even bother." Clank followed his friend through the store.

"Hm a Chimp-O-Matic, Sonic Eruptor,Groovition, and Pixelizer for only 3000 bolts isn't bad at all. Then I also have this coupon" Ratchet smirked. He waited in line before he layed all the weapons on the counter.

"Will this be all for you sir." A Fongoid asked.

"And this coupon." Ratchet smiled reaching in his pocket for his credit card.

Ratchet had his credit card in his hand as the fongoid scanned the weapons.

"Ratchet I thought you already gave me your credit card!" Clank shouted. He was furious that Ratchet was spending his bolts left and right on electronics.

"Your total will be 2100 bolts." the fongoid told.

Before Ratchet could hand him his credit card. Clank springed up in the air and snatched his card from Ratchet.

"Hey Clank you give me my credit card right now!" Ratchet demanded.

"You are going to have to catch me first, Ratchet." Clank replied running off.

"Ugh Clank." Ratchet whinned chasing after him.

Clank knocked a couple of cans down which Ratchet tripped upon. Clank was climbing on top of the shelves where Ratchet couldn't reach him.

"Clank get down now. Don't make me climb up there."

Clank took his credit cards out of his department and shook them in his face before putting them back in.

"Oh very mature Clank, I dont have time for this." Ratchet sighed as he tired to climb up the shelves but couldnt. He then spots a ladder and climbs up it having hope that he could reach Clank but he fails miserable. He falls on his back and gets back up. Clank wasnt too far behind him later he trips on leaking oil and he falls onto Ratchet's stomach.

"I gotta Clank." Ratchet smiled trying to reach into his department.

"It's lock only I can open it." Clank chuckled.

The manager came out of his office and noticed the mess that Ratchet and Clank made of course it wasnt a huge mess just enough to make the manager displeased.

"Both of you out of my store now." He shouted in rage.

"But-" Ratchet pleaded.

The manager interrupted him. "Now or I will call authories on you too. It wont look good on your record for you to be in jail again and I'm pretty sure your little robot buddy wont last in there."

"Hey he's the one who got me out in the first place!" Ratchet growled standing his ground.

"Well he can't get you out if you both are in there can he?"

Ratchet began to show his teeth a bit.

Clank pulls on Ratchet's leg indicating that they should get going. Normally Ratchet wouldn't give up a argument easily especially when it involves Clank but he knew that he and Clank had better stuff to do at the moment and left the store and headed toward the ship.

Ratchet and Clank jumped inside their ship.

"Ar- are you okay, Ratchet?"

"Other than you stole my credit cards and I can't get my weapons now because you caused an unnecessary scene and that guy begin a total butt head then yeah I'm fine." Ratchet sighed turning on the ship.

Clank eyes wired a bit feeling bad about the actions he just did. Maybe Ratchet was right there could of been a better way to handle it. He was thinking of possible solutions to for Ratchet's spending.

"Okay Clank where is this Blarg ShackleBerry place at?"

Clank looked through his database. "It is on Planet Veldin."

"Veldin? What would they be doing in Veldin!" Ratchet was quite shocked at this information. "We got to get over there!"

Ratchet and Clank sped off to Veldin in hope to find what the Blarg were doing.


	6. What An Entrance

Ratchet flew down the ship not too far away from the Blarg Shackleberry shop. Ratchet and Clank hopped out of the ship and hid by a huge rock. Ratchet was kneeling down on one knee while he had his Pyrocitor in the other. Clank was peering around the corner looking out for reinforcements that were nearby.

"Ratchet there is a lot of security by the Blarg Shackleberry how are we going to get by?"Clank asked in a concerned voice. He turned to his furry friend for an answer to see Ratchet had already moved from one rock to another. He spots Ratchet narrowing his eyes with his tongue sticking out a bit with his tail wagging, he knew that this was not a good sign for him.

"Ratchet what are you doing?" Clank called sprinting over to the rock Ratchet was hiding behind.

"I am going to take out those reinforcements." Ratchet assured.

"Ratchet, my scanners are saying that those warbots have updated their systems it will be harder for you to take them down."

"Nothing can take this Lombax down!" Ratchet had already had his mind set on taking out the warbots and it was no way to change his mind.

Clank's eyes wired down in disappointment that his friend won't even take his suggestion.

Ratchet leaps behind rock to rock hoping to get as close as possible without getting caught. Ratchet was getting ready to aim at the nearest robot until he heard a voice coming out of the two doors. He puts down his weapon and eavesdrop in the conversation.

"Hm I wonder what new possibilities the Ryno 6 will be capable of." The Blarg started.

"Spotting enemies from a long distance, using a super targeting system, having twice the firing power than the Ryno 5." Another Blarg went on and on about his imagination.

"I just hope that we get our good share for this." An orange Blarg walked up between the two drinking a soda.

"A Ryno 6?" Ratchet was baffled. They found all the schematics somehow and they were building it as they speak.

"Clank there are quite a few Blargs and warbots coming out of the Shack. How are we going to find another way around without getting caught?" Ratchet was worried that they already wasted enough time crouching down.

"Allow me." Clank reassures, using the blinking red antenna on his head he detects another way that they could get in.

Ratchet always felt a sense of security when Clank said those words. Clank would find a way in a matter of seconds to work out a problem. As he did here he detected a small opening on the outside of the building but they would have to crawl through the vent to get inside.

"Ratchet follow me." Clank suggested, sprinting over to the small vent on the side of the building. Ratchet followed close behind him.

Ratchet crouched down watching Clank unscrew bolt by bolt to open the vent. When the job was done Clank hopped back onto Ratchet's back and the Lombax went inside the dusty vent.

The vent was rather small it could barely fit him and his pal. Ratchet struggled to find his way through the vent. Each inch he crawls the vent grew darker and the space was beginning to get even more congested. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out or if he was going to get stuck in the process but the brave Lombax proceeded on with the help on Clank guiding him. Eventually they could see the light at the end of the tunnel. A blinding white light that almost seemed like it was Orvus revealing himself in another form.

Ratchet reaches towards the vent in front of him. "Clank, uh could you give me a hand here?"

Clank reaches into his compartment and feels for the screwdriver, his other equipment in his compartment were colliding into each other making noise.

"Clank can you keep it down some?"

Clank finally finds the screwdriver and hands it to Ratchet. Ratchet unscrews the vent and he crawls out. A gentle breeze went through Ratchet's fur. He felt relieved that he was no longer in the congested vent, but he was not prepared about what they are seeing.


End file.
